The Gym Teacher Speaks

Concerning rookie linebackers H.B. Blades and Dallas Sartz, who have missed practices with various types of strains and cramps, defensive coach person and frustrated gym teacher Gregg Williams--already hoarse of voice--was not amused.

If you can see this, you need to do some up-downs. (By Jonathan Newton -- The Washington Post)

"They've got to learn how to practice," he said. "They've been able to coast; all of the sudden now we're expecting them never to coast, and so they've depleted themselves a little bit. Part of being a pro is taking care of your body....They've learned lessons....

"The guys who aren't practicing, right now, other people are getting ahead of them. You know?

They have to learn how to take care of their bodies. That's another learning thing that real pros have to learn how to do. You know, [Sartz] is not on full scholarship any more. Neither one of them are. They've got to learn that. He has a hamstring strain, but that comes from not making sure there's enough sure fuel and the energy in the muscle. We overplay that a strain comes from a lack of conditioning. It doesn't come from a lack of conditioning, it comes from a lack of fuel, ok? They have to learn that they've got to make sure that there's enough fuel in that muscle to make sure that it can go and go and go."

This was not said in a tone of amusement. I was getting ready to go put some more fuel so I can go and go and go, but then the AP's Joseph White asked Williams whether it wasn't a little early in the season for him to be hoarse.

"You know what, my voice wasn't in shape," Williams said. "I came in with a lack of conditioning in my voice."

And then he went and made his voice do 40 up-downs.

[Concerning LaRon Landry, Williams said he was "a young invincible thoroughbred," but that he had some special conditioning drills lined up for him, and that "he'll be getting clausrophobic in the catch-up of the mental part of the thing.]

[Concerning himself, Williams said "I think that I'm a better coach when we're in that fashion with a chip on our shoulders." Leading the wags to wonder whether last year was all a big set-up, so that Williams could get the chip and become a better coach. But then winning would again make him a lesser coach, which is confusing.]